GALLEN TAKES DEFEAT ON THE CHIN

It didn’t work out on the day but you can’t have it perfect every week. "

Steve Gallen

STEVE GALLEN has faith in his QPR Under-18s side to bounce back after their remarkable series of victories finally came to an end.

Rangers surrendered their 12-game winning run as Millwall inflicted the R's first league defeat in six months with maximum points at Harlington.

The R's rise since September sees them top the table with two games remaining and Gallen admits he cannot fault his young troops after an 'unbelievable' season so far.

“We were a little disappointed with the performance but it’s only one game,” Gallen told www.qpr.co.uk. “The lads have done unbelievably well and we were unlucky really not to get a draw.”

“It didn’t work out on the day but you can’t have it perfect every week. We’ll take it on the chin, refocus and do our best in the next game.”

A single goal was enough to sink Rangers, who were unable to find a breakthrough despite a late onslaught.

Gallen added: “Credit to Millwall. They’re a strong team, they stopped us playing and got the goal.

“In the last 15 minutes or so we really tried hard to get the equaliser, we pressed them and chucked everything at them.

“But it was more desire and determination than it was real quality, which was lacking from both teams.”

Despite defeat, the R’s remain on course for the end-of-season play-offs after their five-point lead at the top of the U18 Professional Development League 2 (South) remained intact as second-placed Charlton Athletic came unstuck at lowly Barnet.

Gallen knows a top-two spot is within their grasp and is targeting an immediate return to winning ways when the R’s travel to Bristol City in their penultimate league fixture this weekend.

“Bristol City will be a tough game but it’s going to be a good thing to see the reaction of the players,” he said. “After winning all these games, it will be good to see how they’re going to cope with losing.

“It’s all part of their development, how you deal with winning, how you deal with losing.

“But the mentality is still there, training has been good and I can never fault the lads; the attitude has been excellent.

“We need four points mathematically but three should be enough for the play-offs so we’ll go again on Saturday aiming to do that.”